Neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio tertiles, clinical features and outcomes
| Tertile 1 (N=405, ≤3.34) | Tertile 2 (N=405, 3.35–7.75) | Tertile 3 (N=404, ≥7.76) | Statistics | |
| Male | 255 (63.0) | 276 (68.1) | 319 (79.0) | <0.001 |
| Female | 150 (37.0) | 129 (31.9) | 85 (21.0) | <0.001 |
| Age ≤45 years | 112 (27.7) | 78 (19.3) | 62 (15.3) | <0.001 |
| Age 46–60 years | 134 (33.1) | 159 (39.3) | 130 (32.2) | 0.346 |
| Age >60 years | 159 (39.3) | 168 (41.5) | 212 (52.5) | <0.001 |
| Medical comorbidities | ||||
| Hypertension | 158 (39.0) | 181 (44.7) | 197 (48.8) | 0.005 |
| Cardiovascular disease | 71 (17.5) | 71 (17.5) | 86 (21.3) | 0.172 |
| Diabetes | 142 (35.1) | 169 (41.7) | 171 (42.3) | 0.035 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 09 (2.2) | 14 (3.5) | 09 (2.2) | 1.00 |
| Clinical features and investigations | ||||
| Fever | 320 (79.0) | 323 (79.8) | 324 (80.2) | 0.675 |
| Shortness of breath | 118 (29.1) | 176 (43.5) | 252 (62.5) | <0.001 |
| Pulse (per minute) | 85.0 (78.0–95.0) | 90.0 (80.0–100.0) | 91.0 (80.0–104.7) | <0.001 |
| Oxygen (SpO2, %) | 97.0 (95.0–98.0) | 95.0 (92.0–97.0) | 91.0 (82.0–95.0) | <0.001 |
| Systolic BP, mm Hg | 130.0 (120.0–140.0) | 130.0 (120.0–142.0) | 133.0 (120.0–148.0) | 0.145 |
| Haemoglobin (g/L) | 128 (118–140) | 127 (113–140) | 126 (111–139) | 0.086 |
| White cell count (109/µL) | 5.3 (4.2–6.8) | 6.7 (5.3–8.8) | 10.0 (7.4–13.6) | <0.001 |
| Neutrophils (%) | 63.4 (56.1–68.5) | 79.5 (76.4–82.6) | 90.8 (88.1–93.4) | <0.001 |
| Lymphocytes (%) | 30.4 (25.5–35.9) | 15.9 (13.4–18.9) | 6.8 (4.4–8.8) | <0.001 |
| Platelet count (109/µL) | 2.1 (1.7–2.7) | 2.2 (1.8–2.8) | 2.2 (1.6–2.9) | 0.487 |
| hsCRP (mg/dL) | 2.6 (0.82–7.3) | 6.8 (2.6–16.0) | 16.6 (6.7–36.6) | <0.001 |
| D-dimer (ng/dL) | 329.8 (167.0–618.7) | 428.5 (187.3–806.8) | 662.0 (294.0–1517.0) | <0.001 |
| Interleukin-6 (ng/dL) | 13.8 (4.0–36.2) | 19.8 (5.9–54.8) | 30.3 (11.9–102.8) | <0.001 |
| Ferritin (mg/dL) | 196.1 (113.1–416.2) | 333.9 (169.8–709.9) | 523.3 (314.4–996.0) | <0.001 |
| Lactic dehydrogenase (mg/dL) | 236 (188.5–285.0) | 277.0 (219.0–376.0) | 368.0 (281.0–518.0) | <0.001 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 0.87 (0.74–1.04) | 0.95 (0.76–1.20) | 1.0 (0.86–1.42) | <0.001 |
| Sodium (mEq/L) | 140.0 (137.0–142.0) | 138.0 (134.0–141.0) | 137.5 (134.0–141.0) | <0.001 |
| Potassium (mEq/L) | 4.4 (4.1–4.7) | 4.4 (4.1–4.8) | 4.5 (4.1–5.0) | 0.001 |
| Serum aspartate transaminase (units) | 25.7 (17.4–40.1) | 26.8 (17.4–43.5) | 32.7 (21.0–53.8) | 0.007 |
| Serum glutamate transaminase (units) | 27.1 (19.7–41.0) | 30.5 (21.3–45.1) | 35.4 (22.7–55.4) | <0.001 |
| HRCT scan thorax score (out of 25) | 10.0 (4.0–12.0) | 12.0 (8.0–17.0) | 16.0 (12.0–20.0) | <0.001 |
| Medicines | ||||
| Steroids | 352 (86.9) | 362 (89.4) | 375 (92.8) | 0.006 |
| Remdesivir | 315 (77.8) | 334 (82.5) | 351 (86.9) | 0.001 |
| Anticoagulants | 354 (87.4) | 367 (90.6) | 363 (89.9) | 0.261 |
| Tocilizumab/bevacizumab | 02 (0.5) | 18 (4.4) | 53 (13.1) | <0.001 |
| Outcomes | ||||
| O2 required | 57 (14.1) | 136 (33.6) | 275 (68.1) | <0.001 |
| Duration (days) | 0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0–5.0) | 5.0 (1.0–9.0) | <0.001 |
| Proning | 169 (41.7) | 218 (53.8) | 283 (70.0) | <0.001 |
| Nasal cannula | 50 (12.3) | 116 (28.6) | 184 (45.5) | <0.001 |
| High-flow nasal cannula | 05 (1.2) | 37 (9.1) | 96 (23.8) | <0.001 |
| BiPaP support | 09 (2.2) | 29 (7.2) | 95 (23.5) | <0.001 |
| Invasive ventilation | 08 (2.0) | 27 (6.7) | 107 (26.5) | <0.001 |
| Secondary infection | 9 (2.2) | 21 (5.2) | 102 (25.2) | <0.001 |
| Dialysis | 13 (3.2) | 9 (2.2) | 16 (4.0) | 0.363 |
| Length of stay (day) | 7.0 (5.0–8.0) | 8.0 (6.0–9.0) | 8.0 (6.0–12.0) | <0.001 |
| ICU (days) | 5.0 (2.0–8.0) | 7.0 (3.7–10.0) | 8.0 (4.0–13.0) | 0.002 |
| Transfer to hospice care | 50 (12.3) | 57 (14.1) | 78 (19.3) | <0.001 |
| Deaths | 10 (2.5) | 33 (8.1) | 128 (31.7) | <0.001 |
BiPaP, bilevel positive airway pressure; BP, blood pressure; HRCT, high-resolution CT; hsCRP, high-sensitivity C reactive protein; ICU, intensive care unit; SpO2, oxygen saturation.